The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Normal waves strike the shore obliquely, thereby dispensing most of their energy at the shoreline. Rip currents occur when waves, usually a result of weather pressure systems, strike the shore perpendicularly, and with greater force. This causes a buildup of excess water trying to return seaward. Larger than normal wave pressure carries sand upwards toward the shore and depending upon where the sand gets dispensed, it can create a sandbar barrier to wave water looking for an avenue to return to sea. A rip current occurs when the trapped water erodes a trough through the sandbar. Large objects like jetties, piers, or naturally occurring objects like rocks can also channel excess water, sometimes parallel to shore. The flow created by returning wave water is called a rip current. Five different types of rip currents have been identified by experts. When the water current runs parallel to shore, it is referred to as a longshore current. A swimmer can be drawn sideways along the beach and into a rip current if the returning water force is strong enough.
Rip currents result in 80% of the 60,000 water rescues annually in the United States alone. Up to 150 beachgoers drown every year just in the United States. A dangerous rip current may be as slow as 1 to 2 ft/sec (0.7 to 1.4 mph) on up to 8 ft/sec (5.45 mph). Rip currents can occur near the surface.
A rip current can be 40 feet wide on up to 50 yards wide. They can occur anywhere on a shore of an ocean beach or large lake, e.g., the Great Lakes.
Known methods to anchor an object or device in a large body of water include using a large anchor object which is dropped in the water and rested upon the floor of the water. Placement and maintenance of such an anchor object, due to its size and difficulties associated with working underwater, can be labor intensive and costly. Wherein the floor made of sand which is subject to shifting and constant change, a location of an object on the floor of the water can change substantially over time. Known methods do not permit maintaining anchors in sandy floor locations in an upright orientation for long periods of time.
Port authorities, coast guard officials, property owners, and others can use large concrete blocks or pile-driven posts to provide a post projecting from a surface of the water. Such a post can be used as anchoring points, permitting boats, buoys, and other floating objects to be tethered to the post. However, concrete blocks shift position as the bottom under the block shifts. Pile-driven posts are expensive and permanent.